Machine for applying aplastic bindings and the like



Jan. 11, 1944. c. E. EMMER 2,338,911

MACHINE FOR APPLYING PLASTIC BINDINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 22, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1944- c. E. EMMER 2,338,911

MACHINE FOR APPLYING PLASTIC BINDINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 22 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f, R 1 i r I n w j mmum nmmm H i I v D I m l "2 W Jan. 11, 1944. 2,338,911

MACHINE FOR APPLYING PLASTIC BINDINGS AND THE LIKE c. E. EMMERV 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 22, .1958

Jill. I

Jan. 11, 1944.

c.- E." EMMERI MACHINE FOR APPLYING PLASTIC BINDINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 22, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E N 6 Mm Q Q & Q 3 I {run K I N @6 Q w I H QR x o N Mm Q\ mg m m% 7 m m Q. MN A- wam Patented Jan. 11, 1944 MACHINE FOR APPLYING PLASTIC BINDINGS AND THE LIKE Charles Edward Emmer, Chicago, Ill, assignor to General Binding Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 22, 1938, Serial No. 226,032

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of binding books, especially books having a small number of pages, such as advertising and sales presentation literature, and in which the pages are held by a series of rings at the back of the book. A highly satisfactory binding for this type of book comprises a comb-like member made oi sheet Celluloid or other plastic or resilient material and having a back extending along the back of the book and teeth curled into rings extending around through holes in the edges of the covers and pages and holding them all together. In certain forms of this general type of binding, the ends of the teeth which form the rings curl around on the outside of the back joining the teeth and overlap the portions of the teeth near the back so that the back lies with the bound pages within the rings formed by the teeth. In other forms, the teeth curl around outside of the back so that the back lies inside of the rings.

The present invention is a machine for mechanically holding bindings of the type discussed above and uncurling the rings so that the pages to be bound can be placed in position, and for then allowing the open rings to spring or curl back into shape through the holes previously punched in the edges of the pages. One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a machine of this type which will both grasp and open a binding placed in it.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of this type which will both grasp and open a binding placed in it and do this in response to a single movement of the operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of this type which can be operated entirely by pedals, and preferably by a single pedal, so that the operator has both hands free at all times to insert bindings and pages to be bound into the machine and to remove the bound books.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of this type which has no loose parts that have to be put into place by hand when the machine is being operated.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved means for grasping the individual rings forming the binding so that they may be opened mechanically to allow insertion of the pages to be bound.

The invention, in general, comprises two sets of means for grasping the bindingone adapted to hold either the back of the binding or the rings where they are joined to the back, and the other having a large number of fingers that can be moved so as to extend into each ring and means for moving the fingers into the ring and for Subsequently moving apart the fingers and the other means for engaging the binding so as to uncurl and open the rings. The invention also may in}- clude mechanism for causing these movements to take place in response to a single movement on the part of the operator and guides or stops to aid in positioning the leaves to'be bound so that, as the opened rings are allowed to curl back'into their circular shape, they will pass through the- Figure 1, this view showing the binding openedup in the machine and seen from on'e'end;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View of the portions of the machine engaging the binding, this view showing the binding before it is opened p;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the machine ,withits cover plate removed to show the interior mechanism;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the machine with the cover plate in place;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional viewon the, line 7'l of Figure 5, looking in the direction oi'the arrows;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view on theline 88 of Figure 5, looking in the direction'of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view on theline 99 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figurel) is a cross-sectional View on the line ill-4i] of Figure 9, looking downin the direction of the arrows and showing'on'ly the moving parts position as shown'in Figure l. The major partof the mechanism ofthe invention is-contained in a casingor housing I! mountedin the table each other.

top I4 and is operated from the pedal l through a connecting rod l8.

Cne of the forms of binding It with which this embodiment of the invention is adapted to be used is shown in elevation in Figure 2 and in cross-section in Figures 3 and 4. It consists of a narrow back 2!] extending the length of the binding and having a series of evenly spaced fingers projecting at right angles to the back and curled around into rings 2!. The binding [9 is made of some material such as Celluloid or other resilient material which is resilient enough to allow the fingers or rings 2i to be straightened out as shown in Figure 3 and to curl back into rings as shown in Figure 4: when they are released.

The way in which the binding ii is opened and closed into position on the leaves to be bound may perhaps be best understood from examining Figures 3 and 4. The back 28 of the binding is supported between each of its rings or fingers 2| by a series of upstanding forks 22, each formed by a stepped post 23 and a piece of thin spring steel 2 fastened to the front of it. Each ring 2i of the binding i engaged by fingers 25 and 26 which project between the rings 2| and whose ends are bent at right angles so as to project into the rings 2! of the binding, each ring having the end of one finger 25 projecting into it from one side and the end of another finger 26 projecting into it from the other side.

The row of fingers 25 and 26 and the row of upstanding forks 22 project up through slots at in the cover SI of the housing ll and are mounted on two sliding carriages 32 and 33 within the housing ll that can be moved towards and from In their initial positions, the ends of the fingers 25 and 26 lie up against the row of upstanding forks 22, as shown in Figure i, so that when a binding IE3 is dropped into place with its back 29 resting in the forks 22, the rings 2! of the binding will lie between the fingers 25 and 26. Then, when the pedal i5 is depressed by the operator, the mechanism in the housing ll, which is described in detail below, first causes the fingers 25 and 26 to move sideways so that their bent ends enter the rings 2| of the binding l9 and then causes the two carriages 32 and 33 carrying the forks 22 and the fingers 25 and 26 to move apart. As the forks 22 and the fingers 25 and 26 are separated by the moving carriages 32 and 33, they uncurl all the rings 2| of the binding and open them up as shown in Figure 3. This allows the pack of sheets 3 which are to be bound to be placed on edge on top of the uncurled fingers or rings 25 of the binding.

When the operator allows the pedal Hi to rise under the influence of the spring IS, the mechanism in the housing ll brings the carriages 32 and 33 together again, which moves the forks 22 and fingers 25 and 2% of the machine back together and allows the fingers 2i of the binding to curl back into rings. As the fingers of the binding curl back into rings, their free ends curve up and back through the holes 35 in the sheets 34 to be bound so that, when the rings 2| have regained their original shape, they extend through the holes 35 and hold the sheets 34 together. |At the end of the upward stroke of the pedal l5, the mechanism in the housing i'l moves the fingers 25 and 26 of the machine sideways to their original positions so as to disengage them from the rings 21 of the binding and permit the bound pages 36 to be removed from the machine.

The mechanism within the housing I! for am n causing the above-described movements of the row of forks 22 and row of fingers 25 and 28 is shown in Figures 5 to 10. It comprises the two carriages 32 and 33 mentioned above which are mounted to slide on a pair of horizontal guide rods 38 whose ends are mounted in bosses in the front and rear walls of the housin ll. The back carriage 33 has a horizontal plate 3:: (shown in Figures 3 and 8) secured to its top by screws 40 passing through elongated holes to permit of slight adjustment of the position of the plate. On the top of the plate 3 and along its forward edge, there is secured a bar li having a series of shallow vertical notches in its front face. In each of these notches is fastened the lower end of one of the row of forks 22 which project up through the slots in the cover plate 3i and serve to hold the back of the binding The front carriage 32 has a pair of aligned rectangular grooves on top into which fits a second rectangular bar 42 which supports the fingers 25 and 26 which engage the rings 2! of the binding iii. The finger support or bar 42 is held down in its grooves by a pair of cap screws 43 (shown in Figure 5) and is provided with a pair of vertical headless screw 3% threaded through it and bearing against the bottoms of the grooves. By means of the two pairs of screws -43 and 44, the finger support 52 can be adjusted vertically so as to position the ends of the fingers 25 and 25 at the proper distance above the top plate 31 of the machine.

The two series of fingers 25 and 26 are not carried directly by the finger support bar 2.52 but are formed integrally with two slidably mounted finger plates 53 and 41. The finger plates are secured fiat on top of one another on the top of the finger support bar 42 by means of a pair of hold-down screws 48 (shown in Figures 5 and 8) passing through slots in the plates and having shoulders bearing on the support bar 2 to prevent them from clamping down the finger plates 46 and i'l so tightly that they will not slide.

The fingers 25 and 26 are arranged in pairs (as shown in Figures 5 and 9), one pair being opposite each of the upstanding forks 22 and projecting up through the same slot 30 in the top or cover plate 35 of the machine. Each pair of fingers includes one finger 25 integral with the top finger plate and having its end bent to the left, and another finger 26 integral with the bottom finger plate 41 and having its end bent to the right.

While the finger plates 45 and t"! and the roots of the fingers 25 and 26 near the finger plates lie one on top of the other (as shown in Figure 4), the outer portions of the fingers Z3 and 25 are narrowed down and offset from each other, and the fingers on each plate are curved slightly towards the plane of the fingers on the other plate so that their extreme bent at right angles in opposite directions, are all in line. The opposed ends of the fingers 25 and 26 are spaced apart so that, when a binding iii is dropped into place with its back 23 supported by the forks 22, the rings 2! of the binding will drop through the gaps between the aligned ends of the fingers 25 and 2% Then, when the two finger plates 46 and ll are slid endwise in opposite directions, the: gaps will close as the ends of the fingers 25 and 26 enter each ring 2! of the binding from opposite sides to be in a position to uncurl it, as described above.

The mechanism for sliding the finger plates; 45 and 4! endwise comprises a sliding'cam' 5G;

(shown in' Figures and 7) passing under the finger plates and mounted in guides 5| on the housing ll. Each finger plate carries a roller 52 depending down along one side of the sliding cam 50, whose edges are shaped so that, when it is slid towards the back of the machine, the finger plates 46 and 47 are each slid in the prope direction to cause the ends of the fingers which it carries to move into the rings 2| of the binding. The two finger plates 46 and 41 are connected by a coil spring 53 stretched between projecting ears on the plates and acting to hold the rollers 52 against the cam 50.

The sliding cam 50 is operated by the upper end of an upright lever 54 operated in its turn by a cam 55 which acts on a roller 58 carried by the lower end of the lever. The cam 55 is fixed to the main shaft 51 of the machine and is formed and positioned so that it causes the sliding cam 59 to slide the finger plates 46 and 41 as soon as the main shaft 51 is turned from its initial position. The main shaft 5'! is journaled in bearings 58 carried by the end walls of the housing I! and has an arm 59 keyed to it and connected to the operating pedal 55 by the vertical connecting rod l8. Thus, when the operator depresses the pedal !5, the main shaft 51 will be rotated, the cam 55 on the main shaft will move the upright lever 54, and the two finger plates 46 and 41 will be slid in opposite directions to cause the ends of the fingers 25 and 25 to engage the rings iii of the binding. A spring 63 is connected to the lever 5 to return it and the sliding cam 50 to their initial positions when the cam 55 is returned to its initial position.

As soon as the fingers 25 and 26 have engaged the rings of the binding, further downward movement of the operating pedal l5 and rotation of the main shaft 51 causes the two carriages 32 and 33 carrying the fingers and the upright forks 22 to slide apart, thus uncurling the rings of the binding. The sliding is accomplished by means of a pair of approximately oval cams 69 fixed to a camshaft 6| lying between and below the carriages. Each carriage 32 and 33 is provided with two arms 62 extending down at one side of the camshaft BI and carrying rollers 6 1 which bear on the periphery of the cams 69. In their at-rest position, when the carriages are closest together, the oval cams 60 have their longer dimension vertical so that, as they are rotated from this position by the camshaft 6i, they will move the carriages apart. The two carriages are drawn together and their rollers 64 kept against their earns 69 by a pair of coil springs 55 stretched between them.

The means for rotating the camshaft '6! comprises a pair of gears 66 and 61 (shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10) one 65 fixed to the main shaft 51 and the other 61 mounted loosely between a disc 68 and a collar 69 fixed on the camshaft 61. The gear 6'! on the camshaft drives the disc 68 through a lost motion connection formed by a pin 10 projecting from the side of the gear into a cut-away secttor on the rim of the disc 68. This lost motion connection is arranged so that, as the pedal is depressed, the gear 61 on the camshaft will rotate freely until the cam 55 on the main shaft has caused the fingers and 26 to engage the rings 2| on the binding and then will commence to drive the disc 68 and the camshaft and cause the carriages 32 and 33 to separate and uncurl the rings on the binding. The distance which the two carriages may move apart is regulated by a pair of stop screws 7| projecting through the back of the housing I! and provided with suitable locknuts 12. The stop screws engage the rear carriage 33 as it moves back and stop it, thus stopping the rotation of the camshaft 6! and the movement of the front carriage 32, and they allow the machine to be adjusted for operation with bindings having diiferent sizes of rings.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mechanism for engaging the rings of a binding of the class described comprising a support, and a pair of members carried by and slidable with respect to said support, each of said members carrying a row of L-shaped fingers extending in the direction of the sliding movement 3 of said members and spaced like the rings on said binding, the L-shaped fingers on one member extending in the opposite direction to the L-shaped fingers on the other member.

2. 'A mechanism for engaging the rings of a binding of the class described comprising a support, and a pair of members carried by and slidable with respect to said support, each of said members carrying a row of L-shaped fingers extending in the direction of the sliding movement of said members and spaced like the rings on said binding, the ends of the fingers on one member being directed in one direction and the ends of the fingers on the other member being directed in the opposite direction.

3. A mechanism for engaging the rings of a binding of the class described comprising a support, and a pair of members carried by and slidable with respect to said support, each of said members carrying a row of L-shaped fingers spaced like the rings on said binding, the ends of the fingers on one member being directed in one direction, the ends of the fingers on the other member being directed in the opposite direction, and all of said ends lying along a single straight line parallel to the direction of sliding of said members.

4. A mechanism for engaging the rings of a binding of the class described comprising a support, and a pair of members carried by and slidable with respect to said support, each of said members carrying one finger for each of the rings of said binding, said fingers projecting transverse to the direction in which said mem-- bers can slide and having all of their ends formed at an angle to the main portions of said fingers and lying substantially in a line parallel to said direction of sliding, the ends of the fingers on the two members being directed in opposite directions and the spacing of the fingers on each of said members being the same as the spacing of the rings of said binding, and said members being movable from positions in which the clear distances between the tips of the angular ends of the fingers on one member and the tips of the angular ends of the fingers on the other member are at least as great as the widths of said rings to allow said rings to be inserted between said fingers to a position in which said distances are less than the Width of said rings to hold said rings.

5. In a machine of the class described, means for holding a binding near its back, ring engaging means iying in a straight line adjacent said holding means, said straight line passing through the rings of a binding placed in said holding means but said ring engaging means in the inoperative position thereof being out of the way of said rings, a slideway for supporting said ring engaging means for movement in a direction parallel to said line, means for moving said ring engaging means along said slideway and into said rings, and means for thereafter moving said slideway and said ring engaging means away from said holding means.

6. In a machine of the class described, means for holding a binding near its back. ringengaging means lying in a straight line adjacent said holding means, said straight line passing through the rings of a binding placed in said holding means but said ring engaging means in the inoperative position thereof being out of the way of said rings, a slideway for supporting said ring engaging means for movement in a direction parallel to said line, means for moving said ring engaging means along said slideway and into said rings, and means for thereafter moving said ring engaging means away from said holding means.

CHARLES EDWARD EMMER. 

